Euphoria, Sam Levinson’s Gen Z-focused HBO drama, has never been grounded in reality. But a job-seeking scene might be asking viewers to suspend their disbelief a little too much.
The series revolves around the lives of messy teenagers navigating drugs, bad decisions, and a lot of glitter. Its third season—which is a five-year time jump from the last—is raising eyebrows among viewers, particularly a scene from last Sunday’s episode that feels especially misplaced in today’s tense job market.
The scene in question features Maddy Perez, one of the show’s main characters, who is desperately seeking a job in Los Angeles. Perez (played by Alexa Demie) ambushes a high-powered Hollywood executive at a restaurant and convinces the exec to offer her a job based solely on a short speech.
“I know I’m not what you are looking for. I didn’t go to USC. I didn’t even apply for college. My parents were immigrants,” Maddy told the executive after being told she wasn’t hiring.
She continued: “I know my generation is entitled, but I don’t believe anybody owes me anything. I’m not a victim. I won’t be an HR nightmare, and I believe in capitalism.”
Maddy then goes on to answer the executive’s phone, acting as an executive assistant—and landing the job.
An outdated trope in the age of employer ghosting
While a young and scrappy person begging for a chance is a common trope in movies and TV, the idea of actually landing a job this way in today’s job market is striking many as unrealistic.
A user on Threads poked fun at the unrealistic scene, sharing the clip alongside the caption “how my parents think u get a job in 2026.” The post has now garnered over 25,200 likes and sparked debate online.
Many speculated the speech must have been written by someone out of touch with the current job climate. “The people who write these scenes did not have to look for jobs in the past 20 years,” a user responded.
“Boomer fantasy slop is out of control. lol,” another added.
For professionals watching the clip, they agreed it read unrealistic.
“I’ve been in HR spanning three decades, and not only is this decidedly NOT how it works—despite my Boomer parents being sure of it—she probably would be a nightmare,” one user said.
Another added: “No one in LA would give her the time of day IRL, and this type of stunt would probably result in her being blacklisted.”
Earlier this year, the unemployment rate for Gen Z was double that of the national average, and recent data shows that younger workers and job seekers are still disproportionately relying on some financial help from their parents.
And it’s not for a lack of trying. Recent data from Criteria shows that 53% of job seekers have experienced ghosting.
Despite this reality, the fantasy job market appears to be alive and well.
One user added: “My Dad still thinks the best way to sell a novel is to print out 400-page manuscripts and mail them directly to a publishing house.”